"Bring the women in!" he grumbled. "I am no cackler from the roofs!"

Yasmini did not wait for him to change his mind but shepherded her
scared dependents through the door, and called for Ismail.

"Did you see these women enter?" she demanded.

"Aye. I saw. Have I not eyes?"

"Stay thou here outside and watch. Afterward, remember, if I say nothing,
be thou dumb as Tom Tripe's dog. But if I give the word, tell all Sialpore
that Mukhum Dass is a satyr who holds revels in his house by night.
Bring ten other men to swear to it with thee, until the very children of
the streets shout it after him when he rides his rounds! Hast thou
understood? Silence for silence! But talk for talk! Hast thou heard,
too, Mukhum Dass? Good! Shut thy door tight, but thy mouth yet tighter!
And try rather to take liberties with hornets than with those five women!"

Before he could answer she was gone, leaving Ismail lurking in the
shadows. Tess had dismounted from behind Tom Tripe and climbed
up beside her husband so that there were three on the front seat again.

"Now, Tom Tripe!" Yasmini ordered, speaking with the voice of command
that Tom himself would have used to a subordinate. "Do you as the
elephant did, and cause distraction. Draw Gungadhura off the scent!"

"Hell's bells, deary me, Your Ladyship!" he answered. "All the drawing
I'll do after this night's work will be my last month's pay, and lucky if I
see that! Lordy knows what the guard'll tell the maharajah, nor what